That's Not The Whole Story, Is It?
by Rirureddo
Summary: What if Shadow The Hedgehog & Rouge The Bat weren't interrupted by Dr. Eggman and Shadow opened up to Rouge about his past? Takes place after Shadow saves Rouge from the exploding Prison Island and they are on board Space Colony Ark in "Sonic Adventure 2."


_**~Author's Note~**_

_**Here is another Shadouge short story for you all! Enjoy!**_

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_**~That's Not The Whole Story, Is It?~**_

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**_~Flashback – 50 Years Ago~_**

_Shadow the Hedgehog and Maria Robotnik were in a room inside Space Colony Ark looking down at Earth through a huge window. The both of them marveled at the beautiful sight and wished that they could actually be there._

"_Shadow," said Maria. "What do you think it's like on earth?"_

"_The professor said his life's work was dedicated to all of those who live down there," replied Shadow as he put one of his hands on the window and continued to gaze at the planet. "He once told that the reason for his existence was making people happy through the power of science."_

_Shadow's tone of voice changed as he said that and it didn't go unnoticed as Maria turned to him._

"_Shadow…" she said concernedly._

_The hedgehog took his hand off the window and held his arms to the side of his body. "Maria," he began. "I just don't know anything anymore. I often wonder why I was created? What my purpose is for being here. Maybe if I go down there, I will find the answers. Maybe…"_

_Maria put a hand on Shadow's shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. He turned and looked up at her and saw her angelic face smiling at him._

'_Maria…'_

**_~End Flashback~_**

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"Why so melancholy?"

Shadow snapped out of his daydream and turned to the direction the voice came from and saw Rouge the Bat walk into the room he was in. After acknowledging her presence he turned back to gaze out of the window once more.

Shadow, Rouge, and Dr. Eggman had just retrieved three of the Chaos Emeralds from Prison Island and made a very narrowing escape from there. Shadow was on his way to the rendezvous point after setting a time-bomb to explode on the island when he got a call from Rouge. She had gotten locked in a vault after defeating Flying Dog, a security robot, and had no way out. If that wasn't bad enough, the Chaos Emeralds were locked inside with her.

At first, Shadow was just going to go get the emeralds and leave Rouge there in the vault. But, as soon as that thought crossed his mind, another image entered into it. An image that he would never forget.

The last time he saw his dear friend Maria.

His mind began to shift back and forth between images of Maria and Rouge. Both of them had the same expression on their face, and those expressions were saying the same thing:

Help me.

At that moment, nothing else matter to Shadow. The only thing that he was thinking about was getting to Rouge in time to save her before Prison Island exploded.

After a battle with his rival, Sonic the Hedgehog, Shadow received a call from Eggman telling him to hurry and get off the island because it was seconds away from blowing up. Shadow teleported himself to the vault Rouge was inside and used the Chaos Control to teleport himself, her, and the emeralds off the island and just two seconds later, Prison Island went up in flames as it exploded.

Shadow teleported them to Space Colony Ark and he and Rouge delivered the emeralds to Eggman. Afterwards, the hedgehog secluded himself into the very same room that he and Maria had looked down at the earth fifty years ago, and that brings us to where we are now.

"That was so unexpected," said Rouge as she walked towards Shadow. "So unlike you Shadow, to come and rescue me. But you're ability to use the Chaos Control certainly comes in handy!"

The bat reached Shadow and stood right beside him. The hedgehog put one of his arms against the window and leaned his head on it.

"Hmm, you know," he began. "I didn't come to save you. I came back for the Chaos Emeralds."

A smirk appeared on Rouge's face as she looked over at Shadow. "Yeah, yeah! But then again that's not the whole story, is it?"

Shadow let out a sigh as images of Maria flashed through his mind again. 'Why does Maria keep coming to my mind? It has never happened this frequently before.'

Then he turned his head over so that he could see the bat out of the corner of his eye. 'Could it have something to do with Rouge?'

"Hello?" asked Rouge as she leaned closer to Shadow. "Is anyone in there?"

"No."

A look of confusion appeared on the bat's face. "Say what?"

Shadow took his face away from his arm and looked over at Rouge. "No, that isn't the whole story."

Rouge turned and leaned her back up against the window. "Is there something on your mind that you would like to talk about?"

Shadow ran a hand through his hair quills. Should he tell her? Or shouldn't he?

"I know that we haven't known each other that long Shadow," said Rouge. "But, I don't know what it is. I just feel like I can…trust you. And I feel like you can trust me as well. You and I are alike in so many ways."

The hedgehog silently admitted to himself that that was true, to an extent.

"So," continued Rouge. "What I guess what I'm trying to say is…that you can tell me anything. Maybe I can help."

There was something about the way Rouge said that that made Shadow believe every word that she said and he began to open up to her.

"Maria," he said.

"What?" asked Rouge.

Shadow looked at her right in her eyes. "You remind me of Maria."

"Who's Maria?"

Shadow was a little hesitant to answer that question at first but he did. "She is…_was _my best friend."

"Was?" asked Rouge. "What happened to her?"

Shadow proceeded to tell her everything. Life on Space Colony Ark fifty years ago, the times he and Maria shared together, the day G.U.N. invaded, and finally, Maria's death.

"They killed her just seconds after she launched me out of the Ark," said Shadow sadly. By this time he had slid down the wall to the floor and was sitting up against it. Rouge was sitting beside him, her knees pulled up to her chest and she was listening very intently to the hedgehog's story. Though, she had to admit, she felt a bit guilty because she was working for G.U.N., the same organization responsible for everything that happened to Shadow.

"I couldn't do a damn thing about it," said Shadow. "To this day it haunts me; the fact that I couldn't save her haunts my every thought."

"Wow," said Rouge. "I am so sorry to hear that Shadow. And you say I remind you of Maria?"

"Yes you do," replied the hedgehog as he held his head up against the wall.

Rouge was surprised. After hearing how so fondly Shadow spoke of Maria, it was hard for her to imagine him comparing her to anyone else.

"What about me reminds you of her?" asked Rouge.

Shadow looked over at Rouge and took a real good look at her. "Honestly?"

"Yes honestly," replied the bat.

"Your eyes."

Rouge's aforementioned eyes went wide with surprise. "Really?"

"Yes," said Shadow, his voice serious. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you and she have the same eyes. When I look into yours, just like I am now, I see her. Your eyes are Justas beautiful as Maria's and they make me feel at peace by just looking at them."

A blush came to Rouge's face and she immediately turned her face down to her knees to hide a blush that appeared on her face.

'That is the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me,' she thought to herself.

"Oh my," said the bat. "I am truly flattered to hear that you think of me that way."

Shadow turned his head around and glanced down at earth once more. "It's hard sometimes," he said with a sigh. "It is hard to be constantly remained of what happened to Maria and to see that horrified look on her face moment s before she released me from the Ark."

Rouge's ears drooped as she heard the hedgehog talk. It was almost like she could feel the pain he was going through. 'Poor guy,' she thought. The bat then reached her arm over to Shadow and wrapped it arm the hedgehog's shoulders.

"Shadow," she began. "I wish that I could say I knew what you were going through, but I can't. But I can say that I can feel what you are. Just the thought of losing someone that meant so much to you is something that is horrible for anyone to go through."

Shadow nodded his head. "Yes. That is why I am so determined to get revenge for what they did! Not just for Maria, but the professor and everyone else on the Ark as well!"

Rouge noticed the change in Shadow's voice and looked at him. He was struggling to hold back tears and she could tell. She reached up with her hand and gently stroked the hedgehog's hair quills.

"Shadow," she called out to him in a warm voice. "It is alright to cry."

Shadow looked over at Rouge, his eyes watery. She smiled a sad smile at him.

"It's alright," she said. "Crying for someone you love and care about is something to never be ashamed of."

Shadow looked into the bat's eyes and once again he saw Maria. But it wasn't just his departed friend he saw. He also saw Rouge herself. He saw a person who was right here, right now, comforting him about his past. He held his head down and a few seconds later, small sobs could be heard coming from him.

Rouge saw a few tear drops fall from Shadow's face and down to the floor, and she felt her heart drop as well. She got up on her knees, leaned in front of Shadow, and wrapped her arms around him, cradling his head to her chest and gently held him close to her. Shadow was unmoving for a few seconds until he gave in and wrapped his arms around her waist and continued to softly cry.

"Don't worry Shadow," said Rouge as she ran her hands through his hair quills. "I may not be Maria, but I'm here for you. Everything's going to be alright."

Shadow simply continued to cry into Rouge's chest as she held him. Fifty years of agony had finally taken its toll on him and his sobs got harder as he let out all the pain, remorse, guilt, and sadness that had built in him over the years.

A few minutes later Shadow pulled away from Rouge and wiped his eyes. Then he looked up at her and gave her a small smile.

"Thank you Rouge," he said gratefully. "Thank you for being there."

The bat nodded her head and returned the smile. "No problem at all."

Shadow regained his composure and both he and Rouge got to their feet. "Well," he began. "We should go join up with the doctor."

"That's right!" said Rouge. "We are going to show everyone the power of the Eclipse Cannon, right?"

Shadow nodded his head and Rouge said, "But we only have six of the Chaos Emeralds."

Smirking, the hedgehog replied, "That's more than enough for the demonstration. So what do you say we get this show on the road?"

The bat returned the smirk and said "Sounds good to me!"

The two of them began to make their way towards the door and as they were walking, Rouge turned to Shadow and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Shadow," she said. The hedgehog turned to her. "I just want you to know that if you ever want to talk or anything, I'm here for you ok?"

A small smile appeared on the ultimate life form's face and he placed his hand over hers and nodded at her. Rouge returned the smile and the two new friends made their way out of the room and towards the direction of Dr. Eggman and the Eclipse Cannon, ready to show the people of earth what was in store for them in the future.

_**~The End~**_


End file.
